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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/23088589">On Your Best Behavior</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/petersfeather/pseuds/petersfeather'>petersfeather</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Stranger Things (TV 2016)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Angst, Bruises, Dad Hopper, Hopeful Ending, Humor, Hurt/Comfort, I'm so sorry, Implied/Referenced Child Abuse, M/M, Neil Hargrove's A+ Parenting, Past Child Abuse, Pre-Harringrove, Pre-Relationship, Woops, bc he's a brat tell me otherwise, bratty billy, but we all knew that already, just not within the words of this fic, kinda sorta, light bleeding, neil hargrove is an asshole, not as much comfort as there is hurt i'm SORRy, steve is gonna make it right!!, very very light!</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-03-10</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-03-10</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-01 11:53:35</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Teen And Up Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>4,452</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/23088589</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/petersfeather/pseuds/petersfeather</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>And if Steve’s honest, it’s a very <i>very</i> childish plan. And Steve <i>knows</i> that because someone did this to <i>him</i> once back in the 5th grade. It pissed him off to no end which, honestly, is the only reason Steve begins to consider it. It’s not like any real harm can come of it, it’ll probably just be more annoying than anything which is honestly what Steve wants.</p><p>He mulls over it for a second before deciding: “Yeah. Sure. Fuck that guy… tomorrow. I’ll do it tomorrow.”</p><p>___</p><p>Or, the one where the kids are sick of getting bullied by Billy and convince Steve to do something about it. So Steve does something about it. Something very, very stupid.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Billy Hargrove &amp; Steve Harrington, Billy Hargrove/Steve Harrington</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>14</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>178</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>On Your Best Behavior</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><ul class="associations">
      <li>For <a href="https://archiveofourown.org/users/Ihni/gifts">Ihni</a>.</li>



    </ul><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>hello there my dear sweet loves!! ♥ this one is dedicated to the GORGEOUS, the phenomenal, the exceptional, <a href="https://ihni.tumblr.com/">@ihni</a> on tumblr! a magnificent soul and an absolute GEM, please go check out them out, thank youuu ♥</p><p>Ihni requested someone do something very stupid that ends up hurting Billy and then realize the consequences of their actions and feel the need to go comfort Billy. I'm being intentionally vague bc i think I want it to be a surprise for everyone else. I dunno. sounds fun. ^U^ </p><p>ALSO i went over my word limit i'm so sorry. I just... my hands slipped... ♥</p><p>(title from Everybody Wants to Rule the World - Tears for Fears)</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Steve may not be the smartest kid in school. He’s right at average in even his favorite classes, and, truth be told… there’s not a lot of those. He likes to think he has street smarts, but Tommy always has to show him up; has to remind him what position his “rich boy privilege” has left him in. It’s gotten to the point where he feels like there’s nothing special about his own knowledge. He doesn’t know about history, or grammar, or even music, or movies… some days it feels like he doesn’t know <i>anything</i>. Like everyone’s right when they say his head is just there to carry his hair around.</p><p>But if there's one thing he knows… one thing he’s absolutely <i>sure</i> of… it’s that Billy Hargrove is the biggest asshole in all of Indiana. And Steve has met <i>Mayor Kline</i>. </p><p>But Billy takes it all. He’s the culmination of every jackass in the state, all rolled up into this punk who can’t seem to keep his fucking shirt on. He saunters around like he owns the place, shoving into Steve in the hallways and wagging his tongue like it’s some kind of… <i>threat</i> or something, Steve isn’t sure.</p><p>He just blew into town like a wild thunderstorm a little over 2 months ago and already he’s given everyone grief- at least, everyone Steve knows. He cheats on every girl he’s out with (if the girls of Hawkins are to be believed), he’s in detention every day for mouthing off to teachers, he stole Steve’s friends which… yeah he’s having a hard time reconciling that one because if they left that quickly maybe they weren’t too good of friends but <i>still</i>.</p><p>And worst of all, what absolutely takes the cake in the Shit-Show that is Billy Hargrove and his bullying….</p><p>He picks on the kids.</p><p>He picks on <i>Steve’s</i> kids. He scares Max, he bullied Lucas, he nearly killed all of them with his little stunt with the car that first week he was here. He splashed them with rain water once as he drove past them, he kicked over Dustin’s bike when he was standing outside of the arcade, he dropped Max’s backpack in the mud the other day. Hell, one time they were all bouncing a basketball around and Mike missed it and it accidentally rolled over to Billy (who was leaning against a wall smoking a cigarette) who took out a pocket knife and stabbed it, letting all the air out before tossing it back and walking away.</p><p>He’s a <i>jerk</i>. An outright punk. And yeah, maybe the stuff he’s done isn’t <i>criminal</i>. Maybe most of it at this point is just kind of bratty and petty. Maybe Max explained away the Lucas thing pretty definitively (with a lot of “He didn’t mean it that way”s and “You don’t understand the whole situation”s and “He hates all boys who look at me”s and one quiet “It’s his <i>dad</i> who’s the strict one…”), but… but <i>still</i>. It doesn’t matter, he’s still an asshole and people shouldn’t just be able to get away with being an asshole like that.</p><p>Yeah, sure, Steve himself was kind of an asshole for a little bit. Yeah, sure, Steve got let off the hook a lot of times for doing some of the same things Billy has done. But Steve had <i>reasons</i>. Plus he was <i>young</i> when that stuff happened. He doesn’t do that anymore.</p><p>Either way, it shouldn’t <i>really</i> matter why Billy’s doing it or not. They’re horrible things to do and Billy needs to stop.</p><p>Which all leads up to right now, which finds Steve in a diner with Dustin, Lucas, and Mike (because Will and Max had a project they had to stay behind and work on). They’re on the heated topic of Billy because apparently the older boy popped the tires on Dustin’s bike.)</p><p>“He’s such an asshole.” Dustin lisps into his soda (that Steve was <i>very</i> reluctant to give the boy, but he pouted about his bike enough that Steve gave in.</p><p>Mike nods, mumbling angrily into his french fries while Lucas, across from Mike, rolls his eyes.</p><p>“We need to do something about him.” Dustin says again, before getting that sly little grin on his face that lets Steve know he’s hatching a plan.</p><p>And if Steve’s honest, it’s a very <i>very</i> childish plan. <i>Mike</i> is even adamant that it’s childish, claiming they could come up with something better before switching his tune with very little convincing, citing Billy as a child. So it really is childish. And Steve <i>knows</i> that because someone did this to <i>him</i> once back in the 5th grade. It pissed him off to no end which, honestly, is the only reason Steve begins to consider it. It’s not like any real harm can come of it, it’ll probably just be more annoying than anything which is honestly what Steve wants.</p><p>He mulls over it for a second before deciding: “Yeah. Sure. Fuck that guy… tomorrow. I’ll do it tomorrow.”</p><p>Dustin and Mike laugh triumphantly with each other.</p><p>Lucas has become stunningly quiet as he takes a big sip of his water.</p><p>----</p><p>When Steve rings the doorbell around 5:30 pm when he’s sure his intended target will be home, the sound comes out as a far more pleasant chime than he was expecting. He doesn’t come to this side of town very often, even though Tommy used to live on this street back when they were kids. It’s not bad, but Steve definitely notices the dying grass, the empty front yard, the worse-for-wear sidewalk…</p><p>He waits patiently, mentally preparing what he’s going to say, while hearing heavy footsteps approach the door in a way that Steve can only describe as <i>menacing</i>.</p><p>The door swings open, and there before him, in all his 6’ glory, is Billy’s dad. Mr. Hargrove.</p><p>He’s only an inch taller than Steve and yet he carries himself like he’s got a foot over him.</p><p>“Can I help you?”</p><p>Steve clears his throat. The house is deafeningly quiet, even from the fully opened doorway. It confuses Steve for a second, because any time he drops Max off home and Billy is there, the house is raging with music. And Steve <i>knows</i> Billy is here now, if the arrogant blue Camaro is anything to go by.</p><p>“Hello! Mr. Hargrove, right?” Steve offers his hand up, putting on his best ‘good rich boy’ voice that he saves specifically for meeting friends of his parents. “Steve Harrington.”</p><p>“Harrington.” Mr. Hargrove says with some kind of bitter admiration in his voice. “I’ve heard about your parents.”</p><p>Steve isn’t surprised. Neil takes his hand firmly. It feels like a power move, how hard the man grips, but Steve does his best to rival the strength. He needs to be as credible as possible here.</p><p>Steve just isn’t quite sure what to say about his parents. He opts for a charming smile that doesn’t quite disarm Mr. Hargrove like he was hoping.</p><p>“So,” Mr. Hargrove begins, letting go of Steve’s now sore hand. “What brings you here?”</p><p>“Oh, well Mr. Hargrove-”</p><p>“Go ahead and call me Neil, son.” The man says in a way that feels more intimidating than he thinks it should. Steve hears a door close rather harshly from inside the house. Mr. Hargro- <i>Neil</i> grimaces at it for a split second.</p><p>“Okay uh… Neil. I just wanted to talk to you about your son. Your son <i>is</i> Billy Hargrove, correct?”</p><p>“That’s correct.” Neil’s face stays as stoic as before.</p><p>“Well I’m not sure if you’re aware of this, but I felt someone should bring it up with you. Your son has been a… a… <i>menace</i>. To a lot of people at school.”</p><p>Steve worked through so many words in his head and <i>menace</i> is what tumbles out of his dumb, nervous brain. It’s like he’s holding cotton in his mouth, he feels so stupid.</p><p>It does the job though. If human eyes could turn red, Neil’s eyes would be like a firetruck. Or maybe the fire itself.</p><p>“He <i>has</i>, huh?”</p><p>“Yes, sir.” Steve hates saying sir. Feels he needs to, here. “And outside of school as well. To a lot of little kids and… and even to your younger daughter.”</p><p>Steve knows Max isn’t his biological daughter. At least, he’s pretty sure. Pretty sure the dad is Billy’s and the mom is Max’s. But it slips out before he can stop it. More cotton balls falling from his mouth. Still, it’s working as he meant it to.</p><p>
  <i>Right? This is what I’m trying to do?</i>
</p><p>Because suddenly, seeing the tension in this man’s jaw and the fire in his eyes, Steve’s not quite so sure he wants to be here anymore.</p><p>“Oh really? And have your parents witnessed this?”</p><p>Steve blinks. He doesn’t really understand the question.</p><p>“Uh… excuse me, sir, my parents?” Steve starts to pick at the side hem of his jeans.</p><p>“Yes.” Neil’s teeth are clenched. Steve fights not to take a step back. “Your parents. Do they notice too?”</p><p>Steve really has to wrap his mind around the question before he can come up with an appropriate answer. This man has heard of his parents, probably because people gossip. If people are gossiping, it’s probably about their money. It’s <i>always</i> about their money. Their <i>influence</i> even though, if anyone were to ask Steve, they don’t really <i>have</i> any. They’re never around to influence the town like everyone seems to swear they do. They just have money, and apparently money talks. As far as Steve is concerned, it’s more of a whisper, but he knows not everyone feels the same way. He knows someone who lives in a house like this, with untended gardens and unpaved walkways, probably doesn’t feel the same way.</p><p>He thinks he has an answer now.</p><p>“Yes, they have noticed. They think it’s a little… embarrassing.”</p><p>Neil looks like he’s going to growl. Steve takes that step back now, even though he doesn’t think about it.</p><p>“That’s very interesting.” Neil really might as well be snarling at this point. “Well, thank you for telling me, son. I’ll definitely have a chat with William.”</p><p>Steve nods his head and before he can think about it or even say a word, the door is in his face and the man is gone, the only thing left behind being the sound of heavy footsteps.</p><p>Steve feels like he’s in a bit of a daze as he walks back to his car, but not before tripping over the crack in the poorly paved walkway. And Steve may not be the smartest kid in school, may not be the smartest kid in Hawkins at this moment, but if there’s one thing he does know, it’s that Billy is getting grounded right now.</p><p>He’d call this a success.</p><p>---</p><p>Billy isn’t at school the next day.</p><p>Steve tries to pretend like he’s not nervous about it.</p><p>And really, he isn’t all that nervous. Sure, it’s in the back of his mind for most of the day, but he’s not exactly <i>nervous</i>. He's not even sure what he would be nervous about.</p><p>It’s not until he sees Max yelling at Dustin and smacking him upside the head that he gets a little nervous.</p><p>It’s not like it has to be a particularly special occasion for Max to do something like that to Dustin, but still. There’s something in Steve’s gut that tells him he’s involved in this. If Max’s angry eyes that turn on him are anything to go by, he’s right in his assumption.</p><p>“Did you come to my house last night?” She asks like she knows. It’s hardly a question.</p><p>“Yes.” Steve shoves his hands in his pockets to keep them from lifting in the air in submission.</p><p>“You <i>idiots</i>! What were you thinking?” Max yells, smacking Dustin then Mike then Lucas, who whines that he didn’t want it to happen. She then turns to Steve, punching his arm harshly.</p><p>“Woah woah woah, what did we do?” Steve asks like he doesn’t know.</p><p>“Like you don’t know, you moron! You- you! Did you talk to Neil?”</p><p>Steve is so taken aback that he just nods. Max growls.</p><p>“You moron! Never come to my house again!” Max’s face is red with anger, absolutely fuming as Dustin and Mike and Lucas sputter all at once in a vain attempt to make things right. But Max isn’t listening, she’s laying her board on the ground, about to skate away.</p><p>“Wha-? Max, what’s wrong? We were just-”</p><p>“I don’t care <i>what</i> you were trying to do!”</p><p>“Your brother is an asshole! You say so all the time!” Dustin yells in a desperate type of defense. Max’s eyes look far more hurt now than anything else, even as she’s still glaring daggers.</p><p>“You don’t know what you’re talking about.” She says and there’s a lot less malice in her voice now. Her shoulders are slumped as she starts to skate away.</p><p>Steve can’t take it.</p><p>“Max.” It’s in vain. He tries harder. ”Max! Where’s your brother?”</p><p>“Stay away from him.” Max calls back, pushing off to skate faster.</p><p>The boys all look to Steve, who knows in an instant.</p><p>---</p><p>At least, he hopes he does. It’s not until he’s about a mile out from the quarry that he starts to have second thoughts about if his gut was right.</p><p>He’s driving slowly, mind reeling, heart pumping blood so loudly through his ears that he can’t hear his music, when he sees a figure he wasn’t expecting to see.</p><p>
  <i>Hop?</i>
</p><p>It is. It’s Hop. Standing above a hunched over boy that Steve is praying is the boy he’s been looking for. He knows it is- no one else has that haircut in Hawkins.</p><p>Steve steps out of his car gingerly, does his best to avoid twigs and leaves on the ground as he walks up to the pair to listen in on what they’re saying.</p><p>Hop’s face is serious, with a tone to match.</p><p>“Look, like it or not you’re still a minor. If you keep not showing up for school your parents are gonna get in big trouble.”</p><p>“Promise?” Billy’s voice is weak.</p><p>“Har har. Get to class tomorrow.” Hop says, entirely unimpressed. A few seconds go by, the white noise of Indiana bugs fill in the silence between them in the strangest way Steve has ever experienced. Suddenly the air is different. It shifts in a very personal way. Steve immediately picks up on the fact that he shouldn’t be here, right before Hop begins again with:</p><p>“… You... know, right? If you need someone to drive you I can-”</p><p>It’s soft and sincere and Hop’s hand is reaching out towards Billy’s shoulder gingerly, like he’s going to pet a strange animal, when he catches something in the corner of his eye- and that something is Steve.</p><p>Hop clears his throat, and Billy looks over to Hop at the sound.</p><p>“I’m sure you’ll be able to find someone.” Hop says, voice void of emotion. Billy turns his head just enough to see Steve out of the corner of his eye before he whips back around. “Stay outta trouble, kid.”</p><p>And with that, Hop gives what looks like a sad smile in Billy’s direction before leaving. He gives an odd nod of acknowledgement to Steve as he passes, his face looking rougher than usual. More tired.</p><p>Steve takes a couple of steps forward, suddenly finding <i>himself</i> in the position of approaching a strange animal. This “strange animal” that he’s seen almost every day for the past couple of months.</p><p>Billy’s still sat on the ground, his legs in a folded up form of criss cross that allow his elbows to hook around his knees. Steve thinks he looks rather small like this. He hasn’t moved to look up at Steve at all. Steve isn’t even sure if the boy looked at Hop when he was here.</p><p>“Hey…” He starts, hoping it’ll get the boy’s attention. It doesn’t. “Uh, Billy?”</p><p>He’s met with the white noise of the screeching bugs. They stand there until Steve can’t take it, which is only about 3 seconds tops.</p><p>“Billy?”</p><p>Again, nothing. Billy doesn’t even move-doesn’t even flinch.</p><p>“Hargrove.” Steve is stern with it this time.</p><p>Steve’s getting impatient, but Billy’s a rock. Steve shifts to sit in his hip.</p><p>“Hey, asshole!” He calls a little louder than he needs to when he’s a few feet away. The response is rather instant this time.</p><p>“You called?” Billy’s voice drawls and it gets under Steve’s skin like nothing else.</p><p>“God you’re annoying…“ Steve groans, exhaustion visible in his face and audible in his voice. He rubs a hand down his cheek as his heart races with the words building up in his mouth. The cotton balls are back. “Hey uh… Why weren’t you at school today?”</p><p>He doesn’t know what to expect, but the unattractive snort definitely isn’t surprising.</p><p>“Ha…” Billy’s laugh comes out more like a puff of air. “Got some new accessories that I don’t think fit the dress code.”</p><p>Billy’s looking at the ground when he says it and Steve almost doesn’t hear. Certainly doesn’t <i>understand</i>.</p><p>“What? What are you talking about?”</p><p>Billy’s shoulders shake and it takes a few seconds of debating if Billy needs a comforting hand or something to realize he’s chuckling and not crying. The boy shakes his head, curly mullet bouncing in a way that’s far too light for how Steve feels right now.</p><p>“Why do you care, huh Harrington? Miss me that much?” Billy looks to his feet now. Steve sees the hint of a smirk on his lips, past his curls. “Can’t handle a day without me?”</p><p>“Shut up, it’s not like that-”</p><p>“You came all the way out here to look for me.”</p><p>Steve pauses.</p><p>“I was heading here anyway.” He lies. Billy snorts like he knows it’s a lie. Because he does know.</p><p>“<i>Right</i>. It’s fine to miss me, babe.”</p><p>Steve’s face <i>burns</i>.</p><p>“Don’t <i>call</i> me that.” He hisses, blood boiling where it’s pumping fast through his body. Billy cackles for good measure.</p><p>Steve’s got half a mind to turn around. Damn this guy, whatever he got, he fucking <i>deserved</i> it. He’s an asshole. Whatever happened <i>should</i> have happened.</p><p>But…</p><p>But <i>Max</i>. The image of her red face and tired eyes flashes into Steve’s memory. She was livid. Screaming. Close to crying.</p><p>
  <i>You don’t know what you’re talking about.</i>
</p><p>Steve didn’t like that. Because how is he supposed to know if no one <i>says</i> anything? How is he supposed to understand if no one tells him?</p><p>He sighs.</p><p>“Look Hargrove I… I’m sorry. Okay?”</p><p>He feels defensive. Billy almost looks at him, but looks at Steve’s shoes instead. Steve still can’t see his face from the shadows of the trees and curls.</p><p>“Sorry for what?”</p><p>“I… I-” Steve stammers because he didn’t expect a question.</p><p>“Use your words, princess.” Billy says on a snort and Steve breaks.</p><p>“I don’t know! Okay? I don’t know. It’s just… Max was upset this afternoon and said something about your… your dad, I guess and now I… she made me feel awful and I don’t even know <i>why</i> but I do know I’m sorry, alright? So can you just quit being an asshole and accept my apology and-”</p><p>Steve’s eyes wander back to the boy at his feet. Billy’s shoulders are tense. Up by his ears, muscles taut all down his back, absolutely <i>strung out</i>.</p><p>“What do you know about my dad?” His voice is dark now. Dangerous. There’s a growl in it. A familiar one.</p><p>Steve fights his step back.</p><p>“I just… Not a lot. I just met him-”</p><p>“Shit.” Billy whispers, loud enough for Steve to hear. His shoulders are shaking- like a <i>leaf</i> in the fall wind and suddenly Steve feels that concern again.</p><p>Billy throws his head back, eyes closed and grimace on his lips as he shakes his head in what looks like disbelief, hair falling down behind him as the sun catches him and makes his face light up in a way that's near blinding and Steve knows this is a serious situation and thus is definitely <i>not</i> thinking about how the late evening sun does Billy and his gorgeous skin every favor.</p><p>“Shoulda known. The rich and famous Harringtons.”</p><p>Steve rolls his eyes at the statement.</p><p>“We’re not famous. We’re not even <i>that</i> rich, I-”</p><p>And that’s when Billy finally turns his head to Steve. Finally lets Steve see what he’s been wanting to see- that stupidly smug face with that stupidly cocky grin, telling Steve everything is fine and-</p><p>And-</p><p>“<i>Holy shit</i>… Billy, what happened?”</p><p>Billy’s face is more purple than it is tan. The skin around both eyes is bruised, his left worse than his right. There’s a bit of red on his cheek and his lower lip is split. The side of his neck has a few bruises as well, and Steve knows just from looking at them that they weren’t done out of passion- not romantic passion at least. No, rather a far more malevolent passion.</p><p>And now Steve notices the way Billy is moving. Gingerly and slow, like everything aches. It probably does.</p><p>
  <i>Good lord…</i>
</p><p>“Billy?”</p><p>Billy’s looking up at Steve with the saddest eyes and it hits Steve like a freight train. There’s no anger to be found in them. Any fire that was there is there for a split second before they just turn tired. Bloodshot and worn and <i>tired</i>. His lips curl up into a grin that carries poison in it.</p><p>“I ran into a wall. Fell down the stairs.” Billy says, in a voice that tries so hard to be innocent that it’s haunting. “I’m a real clumsy kid.”</p><p>Billy’s voice wavers at that last part and it strikes Steve like a knife to his chest. Because he doesn’t want to say it, doesn’t even want to think it… but he thinks he knows. This happened to him once. Those words sound familiar and they link back to when Steve was 13- the first and last time his father ever backhanded him- and Steve could see the fear in both of his parents faces as they implored him to tell everyone he just fell down the stairs.</p><p>Steve doesn’t know what to say. What to do with his hands. Just looks into Billy’s eyes until he can’t anymore. Until he’s fidgeting and his mind is racing and his heart is threatening to rip a hole in his chest and-</p><p>“Can you do me a favor?” Billy asks, voice quieter than Steve’s ever heard him.</p><p>“Uhm…” Steve has to bite his tongue before he starts babbling.</p><p>“Real simple favor.” Billy turns his eyes to his own shoes. “Never come by my house again. Alright?”</p><p>Steve’s heart drops. He sees Billy heave a heavy sigh after he says those words.</p><p>“Wha-?”</p><p>“God, Harrington.” Billy’s exasperated. Tilts his head back and this time the light catches all of that purple on his face. It’s a universe of the most confusing pain Steve’s ever felt and he feels stupid even <i>thinking</i> that. “Can you hear me or do you have too much dried hairspray caked in your ears? I need you to <i>listen</i>.”</p><p>“I’m listening.” Steve’s voice is near a whisper. He can’t take his eyes off the bruising.</p><p>“Good. Don’t come by my house. Ever again.”</p><p>Steve feels a lump in his throat. Billy turns blue, expectant eyes on Steve, who just nods in what feels like shame. The most hideous and painful shame.</p><p>“Yeah… yeah okay I uh… <i>fuck</i> Billy. Shit, I’m so sorry-”</p><p>“Save it.” Billy stretches his legs out in front of him, head tilting back, face catching the sun.</p><p>“I’m <i>serious</i> I-”</p><p>“I said <i>save it</i>.” Billy screws his eyes shut. “I don’t wanna hear about it, alright?”</p><p>Steve nods, heat prickling the back of his eyelids.</p><p>Billy sighs.</p><p>“I’ll be back in school by Monday. I’ll be sure to be a real asshole. Make up for lost time.”</p><p>Billy’s acting like this is normal. Like this isn’t major. Like Steve didn’t just discover something he’s sure in a million years he <i>wasn’t</i> supposed to see.</p><p>The curly haired boy looks up with tired blue eyes and Steve can’t do anything. All he can do is watch this boy ache when he moves and it makes Steve <i>livid</i>. Saddened. Frightened.</p><p>“Billy… I don’t know who’s doing this-” A lie. He’s pretty sure. He has a good inkling, at least. He saw that man. “But they shouldn’t be. You don’t deserve it.”</p><p>And now all Steve can think about is how he didn’t believe that statement not 20 minutes ago. Any action Billy made always left Steve begging for a comeuppance. The boy’s an asshole, sure, but… no one deserves <i>this</i>.</p><p>Steve is boiling over it. Boiling in a cold sweat because it took <i>this</i>- this horrific moment of realization to realize the boy’s just a <i>kid</i>. Like him and Tommy and Jonathan. Just a stupid 17 year old who does some bratty things.</p><p>Billy looks up at Steve and chuckles in tired disbelief.</p><p>“You don’t deserve it.” Steve implores, made desperate by the disbelief he sees in Billy.</p><p>Billy just looks up at him, looking utterly hopeless, utterly defeated.</p><p>“You don’t know what you’re talking about.”</p><p>Neither can take their eye off the other, and Steve’s sure it’s for different reasons, but his mind is racing, rushing, flooding with his own- with his own concern for the exhaustion that he sees, with his fear of how long this has gone on, with his (truthfully, surprising) anger towards the fact that this boy’s beauty has been bruised and bloodied and <i>that’s</i> a new revelation… beauty…</p><p>Billy looks away first. He tells Steve to go. Raises his voice a bit when Steve takes a step in the wrong direction and moves to sit with him. Insists he’ll see Steve at school and it’s all a blur as Steve’s voice doesn’t allow him to say anything.</p><p>And in a few minutes of his rushing blood deafening him, he’s back in his car and Everybody Wants to Rule the World comes to life through the speakers  as he drives away from this boy that he didn’t know he cared this much about until… until maybe too late.</p><p>And Steve’s blood is rushing, boiling inside of him until... until a near calm smile rests on his lips. A small, hopeful smile.</p><p>Because Billy promised to talk to him Monday. To keep their dynamic going.</p><p>Maybe the ball is back in Steve’s court. And if it is, he’s definitely running with it.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>are YOU sad bc I'M sad!</p><p>thank you Ihni for this request AND for all of your loveliness! You're a true gem and my heart goes out to you! ♥ Much love!!</p><p>if you're interested in more of my writing, you can come check out my Harringrove blog <a href="https://okaybutlikeimagine.tumblr.com/">@okaybutlikeimagine</a>! I post stuff sometimes. this quarter has been STRESSFUL though so major apologies for being MIA.</p><p>(kay off to go write 1600 words of utter nonsense. Thanks for reading and I adore your soul ~♥)</p></blockquote></div></div>
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